Download Our FREE SEO SOP Toolkit For Your Business

About 46% of content marketers and business owners believe that SEO leads to success in content marketing. There’s no doubt they’re correct, but achieving digital marketing success isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Our SEO SOP toolkit covers all the bases you need to strengthen your SEO strategy. The best part – it’s 100% free. These 10+ SOPs have scaled our business to 7 figures and beyond.

Download our free toolkit below to find well-crafted SOPs that can elevate your online presence through tried-and-tested SEO strategies!

What you'll get

Here’s a short glimpse of what our free SEO SOP toolkit offers for your business:

10 SEO Concepts You Must Understand
High Level SEO Strategy & Process
How to Research Your Competition for SEO
SEO Keyword Research Process
How to Steal Blog Article Outlines from 1st Page SERPs
Blog Article On Page SEO Checklist

SEO Blog Writing Process w/ ChatGPT & AI
SEO Internal Linking Process
Monthly SEO Analytics Strategy
SEO Backlink Strategy
Quarterly SEO Audit Checklist

With frequent search engine algorithm updates and new technologies, cracking the code for SEO success will require a standardized process – a process that is built on the foundation of good SEO practices while remaining flexible to changes.

That’s where SEO standard operating procedures (SOPs) come into play.

But what SEO SOPs does your business need? What should you avoid when implementing them? And how do you train your team to ensure the successful implementation of SOPs?

What is an SEO SOP?

An established procedure, such as an SOP, is non-negotiable in SEO. It’s a step-by-step process of a certain task. For example, if we’re talking about SEO audits, an SOP on this clarifies the process of conducting an SEO audit – when you should do them, how you should approach them, and what you need in an audit.

SEO Worksheets vs. SEO SOPs

While worksheets and SOPs are often confused with one another because they both provide an established framework, there are some differences between them.

As mentioned, an SEO standard operating procedure covers more of an established step-by-step process. Meanwhile, an SEO worksheet is more of a checklist of requirements you have to meet and tasks you need to accomplish in your SEO operations.

Importance of SEO Standard Operating Procedures

There are several reasons why implementing SOPs is crucial to the success of your SOP operations. Some of them include:

Keeping Your Processes Up-to-date

Maintaining Quality

Optimizing Workflow

Improving Communication

Keeping Your Processes Up-to-date

Maintaining Quality

Optimizing Workflow

Improving Communication

Top 5 Categories of SEO Standard Operating Procedures

Before you craft your SOPs, there are 5 categories that you must be aware of:

1. Keyword Research & On-Page SEO SOPs

A keyword research SOP will include detailed instructions for the tools you need to use and the metrics you must monitor in your research.

Want to skip the SOPs? Our team offers keyword research services to shoulder the heavy lifting.

A critical part of excellent SEO is what you do on the actual webpage, also known as on-page SEO. How should you optimize images? How do you integrate headings that follow good SEO practices? On-page SEO SOPs answer questions like these, which is why they’re also a must-have for SEO.

Should you need more guidance on these fronts, we at TrioSEO have over 10 years of experience in different SEO services, including keyword research and on-page SEO.

2. Link Building SOPs

Building links is essential for search engines to understand your website better. The tricky part here is interacting with the vast world of the Internet – you have to contact creators and work on building your connections.

These SOPs introduce new ideas for widening your network. For instance, you can connect with industry experts by interviewing them on your own podcast rather than cold emailing them.

As you build backlinks, you position your website as authoritative, which ultimately helps take your website to the top spots of search engine results pages (SERPs).

3. Technical SEO SOPs

It takes a lot of technical know-how to succeed in the field of SEO, so it isn’t surprising that an SOP for technical SEO is needed. That’s why your website must be a core focus of your SEO efforts.

SOPs can include steps to submit your sitemap to Google or create an SEO-friendly site architecture.

The website’s loading speed is just as important, so SOPs also contain information on what tools you can use to check your loading speed and other steps to speed up the loading process.

4. Analytics & Tracking SOPs

Data is power – so if you’re looking to enhance the visibility of your website, don’t miss out on SEO analytics, as it helps narrow down your strengths and, more importantly, your areas to improve on.

There are plenty of metrics you’ll encounter in SEO. There are impressions, clicks, domain authority, etc. But how do you know which ones are most relevant?

Analytics SOPs will vary depending on your marketing goals. Say if you want to gauge the quality of users who visit your website, the SOP must discuss the conversion performance metric and how you can measure and optimize it effectively.

5. Client Setup & Onboarding SOPs

Your clients are your gateway to SEO success, so having a client setup and onboarding process SOP in place is not just an advantage but a necessity.

This SOP must cover all steps from gathering preliminary information – including the client’s budget, target market, competitors, and SEO objectives.

Besides that, the SOP should assign internal project roles, such as the point of contact between you and your client.

The setup process also includes completing an SEO audit and thorough competitive analysis, and the SOPs will explain these steps in depth.

Pitfalls to Avoid When Implementing SEO SOPs

Implementing SEO SOPs is certainly no walk in the park, so here are some pitfalls to avoid in their implementation:

Lack of Clarity

Standard operating procedures should clarify objectives and scope so that your team understands the tasks at hand and executes them effectively.

Lack of Review

Implementing an SOP is not a one-time event. Rather, you must review it regularly to keep up with changing practices.

Failing to Include SEO Experts

If you want high-quality SOPs that reflect the latest practices, you’ll need input from SEO specialists. They must be hands-on in the creation of these documents.

Making Overly Complex Procedures

Detailed SOPs do not have to be complex. When you overcomplicate your SOPs, you risk your team becoming overwhelmed and confused, resulting in non-compliance.

Working with an SEO agency like TrioSEO can help you avoid these issues. Our engagement starts with an in-depth B2B SEO audit, a crucial step in our robust SEO process.

From there, our expert team builds a clear roadmap based on your current SEO standing, tailored to your unique circumstances.

How to Train Your Team to Use an SEO SOP

The effective implementation of an SOP will require cooperation from all the necessary stakeholders. However, you’ll encounter a major headwind to ensure successful cooperation – your team’s training.

Here’s how you can educate them to use SEO SOPs to their fullest potential.

Evaluate Your SOPs

Establish a Proper Training Program

Implement the Program

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Evaluate Your SOPs

Establish a Proper Training Program

Implement the Program

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we’ll answer your biggest questions regarding SEO SOPs:

Are SEO Agency SOPs Different From the SOPs of Product Companies?

Yes, SEO agency SOPs are quite different from the SOPs of product companies. Their core similarity is the provision of clear and defined processes for company operations.

The differences between the 2 SOPs lie in their focus, goals, and the nature of their respective industries. For instance, SOPs are required in manufacturing companies to achieve uniform performance and produce high-quality products.

While an SEO SOP has similar goals, the technicalities of a product company’s SOP will not apply to this industry and vice-versa. However, both SOPs intend to standardize processes in their respective fields.

How Often Should SEO SOPs Be Updated?

Because the rules in SEO are fast-changing, you must update your SOPs regularly. You can start by updating them every quarter at the minimum.

Should there be any significant changes, like a major update in Google’s search algorithm, that can impact your SEO operations, you must revise the SOP as needed.

While Google rarely reveals the specifics of its core updates, analyzing how they have impacted your website’s visibility can provide valuable insights for improvement.

Can SEO SOPs Help in Managing Large-Scale SEO Projects?

Yes, 100%. When working on large-scale SEO projects, you have to maintain a specific level of quality, and there’s no better way to do that than by establishing an SEO SOP.

Provided that your SOPs are updated and clearly defined, they can help manage large-scale SEO projects.

What Role Do SEO SOPs Play in Content Creation and Management?

SEO SOPs serve as a guide for creating and managing content. SOPs on keyword research are particularly beneficial in content creation as you need to incorporate the keywords likely to drive traffic toward your website.

What Tools Can Assist in Implementing SEO SOPs More Efficiently?

You’re likely to encounter roadblocks when implementing SEO SOPs, such as evolving search engine algorithms and the need for constant adaptation to the latest industry practices.

Fortunately, there are many tools you can use to implement your procedures.

A prime example of this is Sweet Process, a tool that simplifies the process of creating SOP. Other tools you can consider include Tallyfy, a winner in documenting SOPs and automating tasks, and Trainual, a virtual training manual that smooths out the onboarding process for new employees.

How Do SEO SOPs Interact with Other Digital Marketing SOPs?

SEO SOPs are just a small piece of the digital marketing puzzle as they are also a type of digital marketing SOP. They interact with content marketing SOPs and social media marketing SOPs in particular, as both areas also require SEO.

When creating an SEO SOP, ensure it’s aligned with other marketing SOPS. If, for example, you’re conducting keyword research before making a social media post, then the SOP for that process must use a keyword research SOP as a reference.

Parting Words

That concludes our complete guide on everything related to SEO SOPs. From the different categories that SEO SOPs encompass to the best ways to train your team on using them, we’ve covered the essentials to help you develop and implement effective SOPs.

At TrioSEO, we believe that effective SEO is at the heart of every marketing strategy, and a successful strategy goes beyond documenting SEO SOPs.

We offer monthly SEO services well-suited for your business so you can drive traffic and generate targeted leads through organic search. Or perhaps you’re looking for a fractional SEO partner to scale your business. If so, let’s work together!

1 (720) 664-3598

Download Our FREE SEO SOP Toolkit For Your Business